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Fired Senate staffer hires attorney

Michael Brodkorb, who was fired from his job as the top communications director in the Minnesota Senate, has retained a lawyer.

Brodkorb's attorney Greg Walsh told MPR News today that he is in the process of gathering facts into Brodkorb's dismissal. He said he is unsure whether he will take any legal action against the Minnesota Senate because he doesn't have all of the information he needs to make an informed judgment.

"He's asked us to see if there's something that has happened and to gather the facts," Walsh said. "Until I have all of the facts, I can't make an opinion and I told that to Michael. There's no case until the facts tell me that there is."

Walsh, who specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases, said he intends to meet with Brodkorb next week to further discuss the issue.

Brodkorb was fired from his job as communications director for the Senate Republican Caucus on Dec. 16, just hours after it was revealed that Sen. Amy Koch had an "inappropriate relationship" with a male staffer. Koch, who stepped down as majority leader a day before the allegations surfaced, admitted to the conduct earlier this week. The identity of the staffer has not been disclosed. When MPR News asked Walsh whether Brodkorb was the staffer in question, Walsh responded with "No comment." Walsh also declined to say when Brodkorb hired him and whether he has already contacted the Minnesota Senate.

Cal Ludeman, secretary of the Senate, told MPR News earlier this week that the Senate Republican leadership team's reasons for recommending Brodkorb be fired did not have to do with an inappropriate relationship with Koch. Ludeman said Brodkorb was an at-will employee who reported directly to Koch. He said the will was no longer there to keep Brodkorb on staff when Koch stepped down. Senate employees are at-will employees meaning they could be fired at any time, without any warning for nearly any reason.